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This was not a back-and-forth game. After leading 2-0, Syracuse didn’t lead again until the end of the second quarter, but the Orange came storming back after trailing heavily since the game’s first minute. Georgia Woolley took matters into her own hands, scoring 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the quarter to give SU a 45-37 lead it wouldn’t relinquish despite a Clemson comeback.

The Orange scored continuously from the paint despite being massively outsized by the Tigers. The closest the game got was four points before Syracuse pulled ahead again. SU almost doubled Clemson’s offensive rebound total and more than doubled its second-chance points. 

Here are some observations from Syracuse’s (12-4, 3-2 Atlantic Coast) 91-77 win over Clemson (11-5, 2-3 ACC).

Offensive rebounding gives SU the edge

Without a single player above 5-foot-11, the Orange still dominated the paint, especially on the offensive end. SU had 21 offensive rebounds leading to 23 second-chance points, compared to Clemson’s 13 and 10, respectively. 

Despite the size disadvantage, the Orange crashed the offensive boards consistently, creating putback opportunities in a game they trailed for most of the first half. Asia Strong was SU’s biggest body in the paint, securing 10 rebounds (three offensive) while Dariauna Lewis secured 10 as well (three offensive). 

Teisha Hyman made a full-court pass up to a contested Woolley, who put an awkward shot off the glass. But even with SU up double digits in the third quarter, Strong followed up the fast-break layup and was there for an easy putback. 

Lewis was also relentless on the boards, getting prime position on the block against Clemson. After a missed free throw, Lewis got another offensive rebound to set up an extra possession. As SU passed around the arc, Lewis made her way to the block and posted up her defender. When the three missed, she didn’t even budge to collect the board and put up Syracuse’s 18th second-chance point of the afternoon. 

Georgia Woolley makes impact on both ends

Ten seconds after hitting a 3 to extend SU’s first lead since 2-0, Woolley blocked a pass from Brie Perpignan and took off down the middle of the court. She saw Dyaisha Fair trailing her on the left side and slipped a no-look bounce pass to the cutting guard for an easy bucket. Fair made it 45-37 with 34 seconds left in the half as SU took the momentum.

That was Woolley’s first 3-pointer of the game along with her second assist and steal, as she entered halftime as the Orange’s leader in all three categories. She ended the game with six steals and five assists.

Despite her struggles from beyond the arc (1-for-7), Woolley was a constant scoring threat for the Orange and opened up the floor for others. She also put constant pressure on the Tigers’ offense, jumping passing lanes with urgency. Woolley made her mark from mid-range, connecting on an and-one transition jumper midway through the second quarter. Then minutes later, she drove in from the wing and jerked the ball up to avoid a steal before floating it up for a swish. 

Fair’s signature second-half surge

Once again, Fair turned it on in the second half. After sitting out in the second quarter with some foul trouble, Fair came out flaming hot. 

Off a Clemson turnover, Hyman made a full-court pass to Fair, who set her feet and drilled an open three at the top of the arc. Then she got a pass from Woolley on the wing and splashed another three with two Tigers in her face, forcing a Clemson timeout. Those contributed to a 24-1 run for the Orange that ranged from the end of the second to the start of the third.

Fair finished with 27, tied for her season-high, on 6-of-11 from deep. Scoring 17 of her 27 in the second half, Fair replaced Woolley as the go-to scorer. Splashing four 3-pointers, Fair hit the dagger with 2:03 remaining, creating a nine-point lead for the Orange that they would extend to 14.

SU slows Clemson’s early pace

A combined ten points in the first minute of action got this game rolling early. A Lewis transition jumper followed by a Fair 3 from the wing gave SU five points in 57 seconds. But the Tigers didn’t get bogged down, converting a fast-break layup and an and-one bank shot to tie the game in the early going. 

But Clemson switched its defense throughout, going from zone to man and mixing in a full-court press from time to time. As a result, Syracuse slowed the pace with ball movement, making athletic, cross-court passes to find the open woman. 

In the second half, it was the Orange who came out quickly with Fair hitting two threes in the first minute to give SU a commanding 51-37 lead to force a Tigers timeout.

Published on January 8, 2023 at 4:23 pm

Contact Wyatt: wbmiller@syr.edu